(Members Code of Conduct – Part 4A of the Constitution)

To receive disclosures of interests from members and co-opted members on matters to be considered at the meeting. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

Notes:

(1)       Members must consider their interests, and act according to the following:

(2)       Disclosable pecuniary interests relate to the Member concerned or their spouse/partner.

(3)       Members in arrears of Council Tax by more than two months must not vote in decisions on, or which might affect, budget calculations, and must disclose at the meeting that this restriction applies to them.  A failure to comply with these requirements is a criminal offence under section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. 

(4)       Officers must disclose interests in accordance with Council Standing Order 44.

No disclosures of interest in matters under consideration were received.

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meetings held on 1 March 2023 and 15 March 2023 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Kav Amrez / Louis Kingdom – 07929 070228 / 07890 416570)

That the minutes of the meetings held on 1 March 2023 and 15 March 2023 be signed as a correct record.

(Access to Information Procedure Rules – Part 3B of the Constitution)

Reports and background papers for agenda items may be inspected by contacting the person shown after each agenda item.  Certain reports and background papers may be restricted. 

Any request to remove the restriction on a report or background paper should be made to the relevant Strategic Director or Assistant Director whose name is shown on the front page of the report. 

If that request is refused, there is a right of appeal to this meeting. 

Please contact the officer shown below in advance of the meeting if you wish to appeal. 

(Kav Amrez / Louis Kingdom – 07929 070228 / 07890 416570)

There were no appeals submitted by the public to review decisions to restrict documents.

Any referrals that have been made to this Committee up to and including the date of publication of this agenda will be reported at the meeting.

There were no referrals to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee is asked to confirm and recommend to Council the appointment of the following voting and non-voting co-opted representatives for the 2023/2024 municipal year:

CO-OPTED MEMBERS:

Joyce Simpson (Church Representative)

Fauzia Raza (Parent Governor Representative)

Shifa Simab (Parent Governor Representative)

NON-VOTING CO-OPTED MEMBERS:

Tom Bright (Teacher Secondary School Representative)

Dr Samina Karim (Children's Social Care)

(Louis Kingdom / Kanwal Amrez – 07890 416570/07929 070288)

The report of the Chair of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Document “A”) presents the Committee’s Draft Work Programme 2023-24.

Recommended –

(1)           That members consider and comment on the areas of work included in the work programme.

(2)           That members consider any detailed scrutiny reviews that they may wish to conduct.

(Mustansir Butt – 07582 101597)

The report of the Chair of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Document “A”) was submitted to Members for comment and review of the 2023/24 draft Work Programme. There was a discussion in relation to potential areas of work in Children’s Services that could be explored. Members raised numerous questions and sought further clarification in relation to the Work Programme.

The Overview & Scrutiny Lead talked through the draft work programme for the Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee, as well as the programme of detailed Scrutiny Review for the Committee.

It was reported that the Local Government Association (LGA) sessions which were originally to be held face to face at the City Hall, would take place remotely due to rail issues. The aim of the sessions would be to provide members with knowledge and guidance on how they could scrutinise the Children’s Trust and to manage the Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee by learning how to raise challenging questions.

The Overview & Scrutiny Lead also informed Members of sessions carried out by the Children’s Trust, which would also help members better understand the role of the Trust and equip them with knowledge and understanding which would then enable them to raise any questions with officers in future meetings.

Members were provided with upcoming dates for these sessions.

The Overview & Scrutiny Lead provided details of scrutiny reviews undertaken by the Committee, such as, child poverty, elective home education, persistent school absence reviews. Members were advised that they would receive the terms of reference for child poverty and elective home education following the committee meeting.

There was a brief discussion in relation to the work programme and members felt that having access to data would help in having constructive discussions relating to schools/absences. Members felt that they should be able to, in their position as members of Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee have access to the Bradford dashboard. Which would then enable members to look more closely at things as a committee in order to improve the lives of children and young people in Bradford.

Members of the Committee said that it would also be helpful to learn the progress of previous reports submitted to the committee, this would guide the committee to make recommendations for future meetings.

A member of the Committee wanted to know where she could access previous reports submitted to the Committee.

In response, the Overview & Scrutiny lead advised that all previous reports could be accessed on the Council's website, minutes and agendas.

Members discussed issues relating to child poverty and were concerned that the level of child poverty had increased since the last time it was addressed at this committee.

Members of the committee had some concerns relating to the notion of Council directing the Scrutiny Committee to do anything was unsuitable and that a scrutiny committee should be wholly independent of that form of process. Members of the committee requested guidance from the Director of Legal and Governance.

Resolved –

That the Committee amended and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.